Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder insists the fuse on boxing’s most feared right hand is burning bright again after two shoulder operations ended three years of constant pain. The 39‑year‑old former WBC champion returns Friday 27 June at Wichita’s 10,500‑seat Charles Koch Arena, facing Texan veteran Tyrrell Herndon over ten rounds on a BLK Prime pay‑per‑view dubbed “Legacy Reloaded.”
Wilder revealed he struggled to lift his arm “to throw a punch or even wipe my ass” before surgery but now feels “free of injuries … the Windmill is back.” The Alabama knockout artist has just one victory since 2020, his 2022 one‑round blitz of Robert Helenius, and is coming off consecutive losses to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang. A statement stoppage in Kansas is designed to launch a three‑fight rebuild and lure big‑money bouts with Jarrell Miller or Anthony Joshua in 2026.
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Herndon calls the assignment a “dream fight” and arrives on a modest three‑fight win streak, but bookmakers opened Wilder a 35‑1 favourite. Still, the bout gives fans a first look at how much speed and snap the rebuilt right shoulder retains and whether Wilder’s vaunted power can mask ring‑rust after a 12‑month lay‑off.
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